Born in Utah: A better way to get care in a crisis
Utah's innovative approach to crisis care
It鈥檚 the middle of the night after another long day. The stress feels never-ending鈥攎aybe you鈥檙e caring for an aging parent, or your tooth aches from neglected dental work you can鈥檛 afford. The weight is unbearably overwhelming, and you start to question whether any of this is even worth it. So, what do you do? In many communities, your only option would be a crowded emergency room, a place designed for broken bones and heart attacks, waiting hours to be seen. But in Utah, there is something different: a dedicated space that doesn鈥檛 ask if you鈥檙e 鈥渂ad enough鈥 to get help鈥攁nd instead asks why you鈥檙e struggling and what kind of support you need.
This system served over 33,000 unique patients in the last year and provided nearly 80,000 visits across all services. With this innovative approach, Utah is setting a new gold standard for crisis care, one that is poised to help everyone regardless of where they live.
The shift from gatekeeping to intervention
When you dial 988 in Utah鈥攖he three-digit number to access the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline鈥攜ou鈥檙e greeted by a Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute crisis worker who tries to help you reach resolution right in the moment.
鈥淲hen we make the small change from asking 鈥楢re you suicidal?鈥 to 鈥榃hy are you suicidal?鈥 we make a big change in how a person responds,鈥 explains Kevin Curtis, Director of Hospital Crisis 人妻中出视频 at Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute.
This seemingly simple shift from gatekeeping to intervention is part of the reason that 83% of the 91,779 calls received by Utah鈥檚 crisis care team are resolved over the phone.
鈥淎sking 鈥榳hy鈥 helps resolve the problems that bring people into crisis in the 铿乺st place.鈥
Rachel Kay Lucynski, Director of Community Crisis Intervention and Support 人妻中出视频 at Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute, adds: 鈥淲hen someone calls 988, those calls last between 15 and 20 minutes on average because we鈥檙e actually doing crisis de-es-calation, suicide risk assessment, and intervention.鈥
This approach stands in stark contrast to traditional emergency services.
鈥911 calls are usually about two minutes on average, and dispatchers are immediately deploying other resources. We don鈥檛 want to send law enforcement to your home and have a situation potentially escalate. We want to work with you in a collaborative way to understand what we can do to keep you safe,鈥 Lucynski adds.
Be brave鈥攊t鈥檚 okay to not be okay
Utah鈥檚 integrated, solution-centered approach to mental health is built on a foundation of accessible and shame-free crisis services. The state has developed a comprehensive network of support programs, many of which are free, con铿乨ential, and available 24/7
鈥淲e want people to understand that it鈥檚 okay to not be okay,鈥 Lucynski says. 鈥淲hether you鈥檙e dealing with a major crisis or just feeling overwhelmed, there鈥檚 no shame in reaching out for support. And when you do reach out, we have resources ready to help you.鈥
In Utah, when someone is brave enough to reach out, they鈥檙e met with immediate, compassionate, and appropriate care.
A new home for healing
Set to open in March 2025, the Kem and Carolyn Gardner Mental 人妻中出视频 Crisis Care Center is an 81,600-square-foot facility that will bring all elements of crisis support together under one roof. It builds on the success of the current receiving center at Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute, which has helped over 2,000 unique patients in the past year.
鈥淲hen designing the new crisis care center, we started by asking our community what they needed. We reached out to stakeholders including care providers, community agencies, law enforcement folks, and our Patient and Family Advisory Council. This is not our building. This is everyone鈥檚 building,鈥 Curtis explains.
This collaborative approach led to surprising insights that guided planning. For instance, the center features a large, welcoming entry that feels more like a grand hotel than a traditional crisis facility. The result is a space that promotes healing and dignity, with features like comfortable seating, natural light, and soothing gardens.
鈥淭his center isn鈥檛 just about crisis intervention鈥攊t鈥檚 about creating a space where people feel valued, respected, and hopeful about their recovery journey,鈥 Lucynski says.
Improvements go beyond interior design, though. The space will also include a legal clinic in collab-oration with the S.J. Quinney College of Law and dental care through the 人妻中出视频 of Utah School of Dentistry. By addressing basic needs, the center aims to resolve the underlying factors of mental health crises, leading to longer-term results.
鈥淲e believe that if we ask the 鈥榳hy鈥 and develop resources that can resolve the 鈥榳hy,鈥 we鈥檒l be able to be that much more effective in the work that we do,鈥 Curtis explains.
The impact of this comprehensive approach is clear and measurable.
75% of people who used Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute's walk-in crisis care
are connected to resources and return to their communities without needing inpatient care
28% of people using walk-in crisis care
would have had nowhere to go in the old system, as reported by law enforcement
A blueprint for other states
Huntsman Mental 人妻中出视频 Institute鈥檚 integrated crisis care model鈥攂acked by the state of Utah, which has supported more bene铿乧ial mental health care legislation than any other state鈥攊s more than a list of programs and services. It鈥檚 a life-saving paradigm shift on how to approach mental health. One that can be replicated across the country.
With the right approach, it鈥檚 possible to create a mental health care system that truly meets people where they are鈥攚hether that鈥檚 by way of a midnight phone call, a chat message from a distressed teen, or a welcoming space that feels more like a home than a hospital.
Because asking the right questions can be just as important as having the right answers.